Join us on Thursday August 13th 6-8pm GMT for ‘Queer Freedom everywhere. None of us are free until we all are’ exploring the struggles for queer liberation that are currently ongoing including against the Gay Propaganda Law in Russia and the LGBT+ Free Zones in Poland, and how we should look at and, most importantly, help them, both in our own countries and communities, and from overseas. Donations will be collected for the Moscow Community Centre, Russia’s only year-round shelter for LGBTQ+ people – Please donate here. All event details on United Queerdom here.
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://zoom.us/j/94131036729?pwd=WjRsYXF3c2g1WUVYVkFKWXE5eC8wUT09
Passcode: 315694
Sergey Khazov-Cassia reads extracts from his novel ‘The Gospel according to’ on a story of queer repression and liberation in modern Russia translated in English by Reuben Woolley, alongside Polish LGBT+ activist Magda Oldziejewska and Matt Beard Executive Director at All Out, a global LGBT+ human rights group. The events will be hosted by Dan Glass, activist and author of United Queerdom From the Legends of the Gay Liberation Front to the Queers of Tomorrow.
About the Speakers
Sergey Khazov-Cassia is an award-winning Russian journalist and writer living in Moscow and working for Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty. He is the author of two gay novels : A Different Childhood (2014) and The Gospel according to (2016). Both novels reflect the life of a gay person first in the Soviet Union and then in the modern Russia.Apart from novels Sergey writes articles and shoots documentary films including on LGBT+ subjects, women rights, immigration, human rights in general.
Reuben Woolley is a student and translator from Russian to English. He has a particular interest in modern liberation struggles in Russia and England, and how best to bring them together. His translations can be found at http://reubenstranslations.home.blog
Magda Oldziejewska is a queer Polish activist, writer, researcher and fundraiser at the Feminist Library, living in London. Her activism focuses mainly on reproductive and human rights. She writes about feminist history and organising, radical spaces and activism on her blogs (angelsandwitches.com, www.polishqueerfeminist.com and herstorydiary.wordpress.com), and other feminist platforms (farsapl.wordpress.com, alfa-fem.com). She will be reading one of her recent articles on surviving as a Polish queer feminist living in London in 2020.
Matt Beard is the Executive Director at All Out, a global LGBT+ human rights group, partnering with frontline organisations to work towards a world in which nobody has to sacrifice their family, freedom, safety or dignity because of who they are or who they love. Prior to starting at All Out in 2016, Matt served as the International Director of Fundraising and Communications at Action Aid, a global anti-poverty and women’s rights organisation. Before joining Action Aid, Matt worked for 10 years at Amnesty International in the UK, Australia, Germany and Canada, leading teams working on digital engagement, fundraising and communications.
Valentina Likhoshva is an activist of the Moscow Community Centre for LGBT + Initiatives. Since 2017, she has been coordinating the Barents Pride from Russian side. Valentina is currently conducting research on LGBT + issues in Russia, providing psychological assistance at the Moscow Community Center for LGBT + initiatives and is preparing with the team and partners for Barents Pride 2020. The Moscow Community Centre for LGBT + Initiatives was launched in 2015 and has become a unique platform where you can realize ideas, get legal and psychological assistance. In addition, the MCC has the only shelter in Russia for LGBT + persons, which is open all year round.
Patrick Braithwaite, ACT UP campaigner as part of the Azanian faeries with a special interest in mental health and addiction within marginalised communities. Patrick helped organise the first Queer Spirit festival and subsequently became a member of the Radical Faeries and is part of The Azanian faeries, a collective of spiritual and ecological minded queers living and working around the South African region. Patrick is a founding member of FAENA, a sub group within the faeries dedicated to addiction. Contact Patrick on Patrick.Braithwaite@gmail.com